Distilling apparatus



'(Nomoal.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

' E. KELLS.

DISTILLING APPARATUS. n @Nm 374,838. PatentedDeo. 13, 1887.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. KELLS.

DISTIVL'LING APPARATUS.

No. 374,838, Patented Dec. 1s, 1887..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo EDWARD 'KELLS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

'DISTILLING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,838, dated December 13, 1887.

' Application lled October 30, 1886. Serial No. 217,607. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD KELLs, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of. Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Distillin g Apparatus;

and I do hereby declare the following to. be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the `art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

lVIy invention relates to improvements in distilling apparatus designed more especially for making high-fire-test products from tar or other heavy residuum had from the destructive distillation of hydrocarbon oils.

Heretofore a common practice has been to treat the tar iu a still, rst applying a moderate heat to disposeof the moisture in the material, next toslightly increase the heat to pass oft' the lighter products of distillation, and afterward to apply the necessary high degree of heat required to obtain the heavier grades, the different products being passed,

respectively, through suitable condensing apparatus and reduced to a liquid form. Next the heavier products, suitable for conversion into high-fire-test goods, were placed again in a still and reheated, first, to expel the moisture had from the exposure of the material in condensation, after which the necessary high degree of heat is applied to make the desired high-test product. IVith such practice the expense of condensing, handling, reheating, and the Waste of material thereby incurred added materially to the cost of the goods.

As an improvement I have devised an apparatus consisting, essentially, of primary and secondary stills and separators, together with A and B represent the primary and secondary stills, both of which may be of ordinary construction. The primary still has one or more pipes, a, leading ,from the top thereof, more or less in number, according to the size and construction of the still. These pipes connect with a horizontal pipe, c', the latter leading to and connecting with the separator C near the bottom of the latter. From the eX- treme bottom of the separator leads the pipe. D, that discharges into the secondary still.

From the top of the separator leads a pipe, E, provided with a valve, e. The pipe E discharges into the condenser E, the latter being of ordinary construction, The separator is made upright, as shown, and located above the line of the secondary still 5 and it consists, essentially, of an outside tube or shell somewhat larger in area of cross-section than the tubes a or D, and provided with the necessary tit-ting for attaching the different pipes shown. A water-pipe, c, leads through the center ot' 4the separator, making tight joints where it passes through the head of the latter, said pipe c being provided with a stop-valve, c', located above or below the separator, according as the water in the pipe c is received from above or below,

In operating the apparatus the primary still is charged with tar or other similar material,`

and a gentle heat is applied to expel the moisture contained in such material, great care and 4considerable time being necessary in the operation; otherwise the pressure of steam geuerated inside the still from the evaporation of moisture will cause an overflow of material from the still. ot', the heat under the still is gradually increased to pass off the light product, a limited amount of which is contained in the tar. The

n light products pass off through the separator and through the pipe E to the condenser, from which latter they are discharged in liquid form and placed in suitable containers or packages. Meantime a stream of water is passed through the pipe c, for the purpose of separating any of the heavier products that might otherwise be carried off through the pipe E with the lighter product. The heavier products, containing wax, are readily precipitated by a slight reduction in temperature. Such After the moisture is disposed roo reduction being effected by the water in the pipe c, the heavier products pass out through the pipe D into the secondary still. As soon as the limited amount of lighter products is disposed of, the valves c and e are closed,after which the heavier products necessarily flow through the pipe D into the secondary still, and the supply of water in the pipe c, being no longer Wanted, is, as aforesaid, shut oii. The heat in the primary still is increased and continued till all the heavier distillates have passed off and nothing remains in the still but coke, after which the still is cooled down,`

cleaned out, recharged, and the process repeated. The heavier products are discharged into the secondary still while containing substantially the initial heat imparted from the primary still. Additional heat is employed in the secondary still to obtain the desired high fire-test. A tube, b, leads from the top of the still B, and is carried to a considerable elevation, from whence it may be brought down and discharged under one of the stills, if desired, or`it may discharge into the open air. This tube is for the escape of gas generated in the secondary still. A tube, B', leads from the top of the still B, through which latter tube the distillates of the secondary still pass to the condenser. From the fact that the heavier products enter the secondary still at ahigh temperature but little fuel `comparatively is required to operate the secondary still. Also, as the material entering the secondary still is free from moisture, no time is lost in expelling moisture, which would be the case had the material been condensed. Also, the expense of handling material is saved and the waste consequent upon such handling.

What I claim is--` l. In a distilling apparatus, the combination, with primary and secondary stills, of a system of connected pipes consisting, essentially, of an escape-pipe leading from the primary still through a separator, substantially as indicated, apipe leading to the secondary still for the passage of heavier distillates, and a pipe connected to the escape-pipe for the discharge of lighter distillates, the latter being carried to a considerable elevation above the said return-pipe, substantially as set forth.

2. In a distilling apparatus, the combination, with primary and secondary stills, of a separator consisting, essentially,of an upright tubeor shell and a water-pipeleadng through the same, a pipe connecting the separator with the primary still, a pipe connecting the separator with the secondary still, and a pipe con` nected to the separator for discharging the lighter distillates, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification,in the presence .of two witnesses,this 4th day of October, 1886.

EDVARD KELLS.

Witnesses:

CHAs. H. Donna, ALBERT E. LYNCH. 

